The Eleven Comedies, vol 1 | Page 8

mischievous line of
action, as he regarded it, and had dwelt on the urgent necessity of peace
in the interests of an exhausted country and ruined agriculture. Now he
turns upon Cleon personally, and pays him back a hundredfold for the
attacks the demagogue had made in the Public Assembly on the daring
critic, and the abortive charge which the same unscrupulous enemy had
brought against him in the Courts of having "slandered the city in the
presence of foreigners." "In this bitterness of spirit the play stands in
strong contrast with the good-humoured burlesque of 'The Acharnians'
and the 'Peace,' or, indeed, with any other of the author's productions

which has reached us."
The characters are five only. First and foremost comes Demos, 'The
People,' typifying the Athenian democracy, a rich householder--a
self-indulgent, superstitious, weak creature. He has had several
overseers or factors in succession, to look after his estate and manage
his slaves. The present one is known as 'the Paphlagonian,' or
sometimes as 'the Tanner,' an unprincipled, lying, cheating, pilfering
scoundrel, fawning and obsequious to his master, insolent towards his
subordinates. Two of these are Nicias and Demosthenes. Here we have
real names. Nicias was High Admiral of the Athenian navy at the time,
and Demosthenes one of his Vice-Admirals; both held still more
important commands later in connection with the Sicilian Expedition of
415-413 B.C. Fear of consequences apparently prevented the poet from
doing the same in the case of Cleon, who is, of course, intended under
the names of 'the Paphlagonian' and 'the Tanner.' Indeed, so great was
the terror inspired by the great man that no artist was found bold
enough to risk his powerful vengeance by caricaturing his features, and
no actor dared to represent him on the stage. Aristophanes is said to
have played the part himself, with his face, in the absence of a mask,
smeared with wine-lees, roughly mimicking the purple and bloated
visage of the demagogue. The remaining character is 'the
Sausage-seller,' who is egged on by Nicias and Demosthenes to oust
'the Paphlagonian' from Demos' favour by outvying him in his own arts
of impudent flattery, noisy boasting and unscrupulous allurement. After
a fierce and stubbornly contested trial of wits and interchange of
'Billingsgate,' 'the Sausage-seller' beats his rival at his own weapons
and gains his object; he supplants the disgraced favourite, who is driven
out of the house with ignominy.
The Comedy takes its title, as was often the case, from the Chorus,
which is composed of Knights--the order of citizens next to the highest
at Athens, and embodying many of the old aristocratic preferences and
prejudices.
The drama was adjudged the first prize--the 'Satyrs' of Cratinus being
placed second--by acclamation, as such a masterpiece of wit and

intrepidity certainly deserved to be; but, as usual, the political result
was nil. The piece was applauded in the most enthusiastic manner, the
satire on the sovereign multitude was forgiven, and--Cleon remained in
as much favour as ever.[4]
* * * * *
THE KNIGHTS
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
DEMOSTHENES. NICIAS. AGORACRITUS, a Sausage-seller.
CLEON. DEMOS, an old man, typifying the Athenian people.
CHORUS OF KNIGHTS.
SCENE: In front of Demos' house at Athens.
* * * * *
THE KNIGHTS
DEMOSTHENES. Oh! alas! alas! Oh! woe! oh! woe! Miserable
Paphlagonian![5] may the gods destroy both him and his cursed advice!
Since that evil day when this new slave entered the house he has never
ceased belabouring us with blows.
NICIAS. May the plague seize him, the arch-fiend--him and his lying
tales!
DEMOSTHENES. Hah! my poor fellow, what is your condition?
NICIAS. Very wretched, just like your own.
DEMOSTHENES. Then come, let us sing a duet of groans in the style
of Olympus.[6]
DEMOSTHENES AND NICIAS. Boo, hoo! boo, hoo! boo, hoo! boo,
hoo! boo, hoo! boo, hoo!!

DEMOSTHENES. Bah! 'tis lost labour to weep! Enough of groaning!
Let us consider how to save our pelts.
NICIAS. But how to do it! Can you suggest anything?
DEMOSTHENES. Nay! you begin. I cede you the honour.
NICIAS. By Apollo! no, not I. Come, have courage! Speak, and then I
will say what I think.
DEMOSTHENES. "Ah! would you but tell me what I should tell
you!"[7]
NICIAS. I dare not. How could I express my thoughts with the pomp of
Euripides?
DEMOSTHENES. Oh! prithee, spare me! Do not pelt me with those
vegetables,[8] but find some way of leaving our master.
NICIAS. Well, then! Say "Let-us-bolt," like this, in one breath.
DEMOSTHENES. I follow you--"Let-us-bolt."
NICIAS. Now after "Let-us-bolt" say "at-top-speed!"
DEMOSTHENES. "At-top-speed!"
NICIAS. Splendid! Just as if you were masturbating yourself; first
slowly, "Let-us-bolt"; then quick and firmly, "at-top-speed!"
DEMOSTHENES. Let-us-bolt, let-us-bolt-at-top-speed![9]
NICIAS. Hah! does that not please you?
DEMOSTHENES. I' faith, yes! yet I fear me your omen bodes no good
to my